MACON, Ga. (NewsNation) — A collegiate summer baseball team in Macon has faced some bacon backlash from a nonprofit led by doctors who claim the organization glorifies unhealthy foods.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has demanded the Macon Bacon baseball organization choose a new name, offering a suggestion like “Macon Facon Bacon” instead. The nonprofit said a name change would help encourage fans to stay healthy.

The group even went as far as to sponsor a billboard in town aimed at fans of the Georgia baseball team, warning of the risks of cancer.

“Macon Bacon’s glorification of bacon, a processed meat that raises the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases, sends the wrong message to fans,” wrote Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES, nutrition education program manager for the PCRM in a letter to Macon Bacon president Brandon Raphael. “I urge you to update the team’s name to Macon Facon Bacon and promote plant-based bacon alternatives, such as Facon Bacon or Mushroom Bacon, that will help your fans stay healthy.”

But the Macon Bacon organization pushed back, saying it will not change its name.

Raphael said when he received the letter, he initally thought it was a joke until a local newspaper started reporting on it. That’s when he said the organization realized the nonprofit was serious about its stance against bacon.

“We didn’t feel as though we were glorifying bacon even though bacon is glorious,” Raphael said.

The organization’s president said they weren’t going to respond to the letter and billboard until the newspaper started asking for a comment. That’s when Raphael said they knew the team had to respond.

In a tweet, the Macon Bacon replied: “We have released the following statement regarding the Macon Bacon team name: Bacon Yesterday. Bacon Today. Bacon Tomorrow. Bacon Forever.”

In the letter, the PCRM said consuming just 50 grams of processed meat, a few slices of bacon, can increase the risk of many types of cancer.

But Raphael argued that any food is one way or another healthy or unhealthy. He explained the organization is not forcing anybody to eat one thing or another, they just want to make sure they have a wide variety at the ballpark.

Raphael said the real question is why should the organization change its name?

“We’re just a baseball team and Middle Georgia and we love our community. We love our fans. We love our bacon. And so it’s the fun-loving nature that we are we are family friendly environment here,” he said. “We have a great ballpark and our fans are amazing. So we’re happy to be here. And we love the fact that the community and the nation and the world has been behind us since this has been announced.”

Macon Bacon has not responded directly to the PCRM, and Raphael said the plan was not to respond because the organization didn’t feel it needed to because, like the community, the team loves bacon and they have the community’s support behind them.